Chapter 109: The Variable

"Pfft!" Gu Bai spat out a mouthful of water. Staring at Fu Wenzhou, who was sitting on the sofa looking utterly miserable, his face was a mask of shock. "What did you say? Song Qingyou proposed to you?"

As he spoke, he reached out to feel Fu Wenzhou's forehead, saying in confusion, "You don't have a fever either!"

Fu Wenzhou's face remained tense. He slapped Gu Bai's hand away, his brow furrowed deeply.

Xu Zezhan took a drag of his cigarette. Better at controlling his emotions than Gu Bai, he was still able to speak calmly. "If she proposed to you, you should be happy. Why do you look like you're carrying a bitter grudge?"

Fu Wenzhou's handsome face grew even darker. His expression shifted several times before he settled into a silent, sullen glare.

Gu Bai still couldn't believe it. With Song Qingyou's cold and aloof personality, would she really take the initiative to propose to Fu Wenzhou? Besides, he had just returned to the country two days ago and told her about Yunfang. How could...

The more he thought about it, the more absurd it seemed. Especially seeing Fu Wenzhou's expression, which looked as if the whole world owed him millions, made him even more skeptical. "Isn't your lifelong dream to marry the youngest daughter of the Song family? If she really proposed to you, would you still have this face?"

"I haven't fucking reached the legal marriage age yet!"

Fu Wenzhou suddenly howled. His eyes glared wide, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly as if he were trying his hardest to suppress his emotions. A cold light shot from his bloodshot eyes, beneath which a hint of resentment and frustration could be detected.

Five days had passed since Song Qingyou blurted out, "Let's get married." Tomorrow was New Year's Eve. He had spent those five days in a daze, and only when Song Qingyou went out today did he finally call Gu Bai and Xu Zezhan over to discuss a strategy.

Gu Bai and Xu Zezhan froze for a few seconds before bursting into laughter at the same time.

To Fu Wenzhou's ears, the laughter sounded incredibly mocking.

With a cold face, he said, "Keep laughing and you can both get the hell out."

Xu Zezhan tried his best to press down the corners of his mouth, his voice trembling slightly as he held back his laughter. "Right, right, I won't laugh. I forgot our little Zhouzhou is still a kid. Hahaha..."

Fu Wenzhou: "..."

He took a deep breath. "Get out!"

Gu Bai quickly intervened, "Don't be like that. We'll stop laughing, okay?"

Seeing Fu Wenzhou's terrible expression, Xu Zezhan cleared his throat a few times. "Isn't the New Year almost here? You'll be twenty-two after the New Year."

Fu Wenzhou's knuckles turned white as he gripped his water glass, a muscle in his brow twitching. "Xu Zezhan, are you an idiot? I have to pass my birthday first!"

And his birthday was still seven months away.

A whole seven months!

Gu Bai and Xu Zezhan obviously knew this too.

They exchanged a look, both seeing the agonizing struggle to hold back their laughter in each other's eyes.

Xu Zezhan covered his mouth in a poor attempt to hide his amusement, terrified that Fu Wenzhou would spot the uncontrollable smirk on his face. "Then just wait a bit longer. It's only seven months anyway, what's the rush?"

The word "wait" instantly ignited Fu Wenzhou's temper, making him look like a furious lion. "I've waited for her for over a decade, and it took me three years just to get her to accept me. Now you want me to wait another seven months? Do you know how many variables can change in seven months? What if Youyou falls for someone else, or what if she changes her mind about marrying me after a while? What then?"

Five days ago, when Fu Wenzhou heard the words "Let's get married," he had fallen straight off the bed in his disheveled excitement. Yet, before he could fully rejoice, he was dealt a heavy blow by harsh reality.

Fu Wenzhou had even considered altering the age on his household registry, but that budding thought had been instantly snuffed out by Song Qingyou.

And so, the matter of marriage was temporarily shelved.

The lighting in the private booth of the bar was dim and luxurious. It cast shadows over Fu Wenzhou's face, but even with a gloomy expression, his features remained sharply defined and handsome.

Xu Zezhan flicked the ash from his cigarette and said, "Just wait. Good things take time. Besides, you guard Song Qingyou like a dog protecting its food day in and day out. Who would dare to approach her? Stop overthinking."

After his laughter subsided, Gu Bai fell silent. With half his face hidden in the shadows, he took a quiet gulp of his drink and looked at Fu Wenzhou. "Wenzhou, let me ask you something."

Feeling thoroughly irritated, Fu Wenzhou snapped impatiently, "Spit it out."

Gu Bai's expression turned serious. "Hypothetically—I'm just saying hypothetically—what if we can't find Yunfang, or if Yunfang is already de—"

Before he could finish, he was cut off by Fu Wenzhou's chilling glare, forcing the remaining words back down his throat.

Gu Bai had no doubt that if looks could kill, he would have already been sliced into pieces by Fu Wenzhou.

He pursed his lips, his expression uncharacteristically solemn. "You're only twenty-one, and your life is still so long. A youthful infatuation might just be a passing phase. You'll meet many more people in the future. Does it really have to be her?"

"Yes." Fu Wenzhou's gaze was absolute; no one knew this truth better than he did. He picked up his glass, but then, remembering Song Qingyou's instruction that he wasn't allowed to touch alcohol or cigarettes until his injuries healed, he slowly set it back down. His voice was quiet, yet it carried an undeniable weight in the dark room: "It has to be her. No one else."

Gu Bai dithered for a moment, then seemed to yield, letting out a helpless sigh.

He should have known.

Fu Wenzhou keenly sensed that something was off with Gu Bai. He narrowed his eyes, his voice low and dangerous, like a lurking beast. "Do you have news about Yunfang?"

Gu Bai's heart skipped a beat. It took a massive effort to keep his face composed. "No, nothing at all."

Fu Wenzhou stared at him for a moment. Seeing nothing unusual in his expression, he let out a cold snort. "Useless."

The "useless" Gu Bai: *I really want to beat him up.*

Fu Wenzhou picked up the crutch beside him and used it to push himself up. "I'm leaving."

Xu Zezhan raised an eyebrow. "So early?"

"Yeah." Fu Wenzhou put on his coat. He had a strong constitution and recovered quickly; in another half-month, he would be able to discard the wheelchair and crutches entirely. "I have a curfew at home."

Xu Zezhan: "..."

Gu Bai couldn't help but complain, "Can you not be so ridiculous?"

Fu Wenzhou's voice was low and quiet. "No."

Bodyguards were already waiting outside. Seeing Fu Wenzhou emerge, they stepped forward respectfully.

The door to the private room closed.

"Did you find Master Yunfang?" Xu Zezhan asked quietly in Gu Bai's ear.

Startled, Gu Bai pulled his neck back. "Just talk normally. Do you have to stand so close?"

Speechless, Xu Zezhan stepped back slightly. "I'm asking you a question."

Gu Bai's expression turned heavy again. Only after a long pause did he speak. "He's dead."

"Dead?" Xu Zezhan was shocked. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Did you tell Song Qingyou?"

"Yes," Gu Bai said. "I told her as soon as I got back from overseas."

"And her reaction...?"

Gu Bai paused before saying, "She didn't react."

He recalled the scene of his meeting with Song Qingyou that day. When he told her the confirmed news that Yunfang had passed away half a year ago, she showed no reaction whatsoever. She simply gave a flat acknowledgment, and even had the presence of mind to give him a thank-you gift.

Xu Zezhan's brow furrowed slightly. "Just like that?"

"Yeah. She also told me not to tell Fu Wenzhou," Gu Bai said.

Aside from that, nothing else.

Xu Zezhan lowered his head and took a deep drag of his cigarette, finally unable to resist cursing, "Fucking hell!"

Gu Bai took a sip of his drink and exhaled slowly. "But I still have some doubts. My grandfather had some dealings with Yunfang in the early years. Although he loved to travel all over the place, he had a deep obsession with returning to his roots. How could he have died overseas, and even have a gravestone erected there?"

Xu Zezhan fell silent for a moment, then asked, "Who set up the gravestone?"

"Still looking into it," Gu Bai replied.

Xu Zezhan gave an approving grunt and draped his coat over his arm. "Let's head back first. We'll do as Song Qingyou said and keep it from Wenzhou for now."

Gu Bai stood up as well, and the two walked out together.

The first floor of the bar was a riot of colorful lights and wine, a scene of sheer extravagance.

As Gu Bai was talking to Xu Zezhan, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a pure white figure out of the corner of his eye. His brow furrowed instantly. But when he searched the crowd for the figure again, it was already gone.

Beside him, Xu Zezhan asked, "What's wrong?"

Gu Bai shook his head. "Nothing."

He must have misseen. How could Song Qingyou possibly appear in a place like this?